Advocate

What Advocacy looks like at UpstreamPgh

Protecting Public Interests

We participate in efforts to keep public utilities public, enhance consumer protections, improve water infrastructure, remove lead and harmful chemicals, and ensure equitable access to clean and affordable drinking water and recreational waters.

Policy Leadership

By sharing our expertise, we shape policy proposals and advance advocacy efforts in conservation, utilities, and environmental protection at local, state, and federal levels.

Safeguarding Natural Spaces

We work to integrate environmental considerations and community priorities into infrastructure projects and real estate developments, protecting natural spaces and promoting sustainable improvements.

Supporting Environmental Justice

Through the Environmental Justice Table, we collaborate with partners region-wide to advocate for meaningful improvements in communities disproportionately affected by Allegheny County’s legacy of industrial pollution and environmental challenges.

Minister Connie Burwell, of Clark Memorial Baptist Church in Homestead, is a lifelong resident of the Mon Valley and was deeply appreciative of the Environmental Justice Fair hosted by the Environmental Justice Team (EJT) this past November.

Minister Burwell shared how meaningful it was to see organizations like Women for a Healthy Environment, The Breathe Project, Valley Clean Air, and Fair Shake come together in one space to support and educate the community. She expressed gratitude for the opportunity to connect residents with trusted local organizations and resources focused on environmental health and justice.

As someone who has lived in the community her entire life, Minister Burwell said she is encouraged to finally see the Mon Valley receiving the attention it has long deserved, especially around issues like clean water, air quality, and overall environmental well-being. She described the fair as both beneficial and empowering and shared her hope that EJT will continue bringing this work to neighborhoods like Homestead and throughout the Mon Valley.